Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,758 per month in Riyadh vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,475 per month in Riyadh vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,192 per month in Riyadh vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 71% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Riyadh sits 32% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.19 SAR 30.75

$6.16 COP 20.1K

32.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 SAR 202

$32.60 COP 106.1K

65.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 SAR 29.91

$7.34 COP 23.9K

8.58%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.68

Cappuccino

$3.98 SAR 14.93

$1.72 COP 5,599

131.40%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$1.05 COP 3,420

-26.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.77 COP 2,515

-59.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.05 COP 3,423

60.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.30 COP 4,236

2.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.85

$1.40 COP 4,544

68.57%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.10

$2.16 COP 7,046

24.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 SAR 31.84

$4.39 COP 14.3K

93.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 SAR 37.17

$5.88 COP 19.1K

68.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 SAR 54.4

$8.64 COP 28.1K

67.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.73

$2.28 COP 7,425

1.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.11 COP 3,603

56.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

$1.53 COP 4,982

22.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.35 COP 4,410

17.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

$1.13 COP 3,674

10.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.49

$1.13 COP 3,692

29.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$0.85 COP 2,753

68.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SAR 1.94

$0.91 COP 2,975

-42.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.87 SAR 29.54

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SAR 9.06

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.41 SAR 27.83

$2.34 COP 7,629

216.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$0.84 COP 2,727

28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.88 SAR 138

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-9.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 SAR 12.09

$1.42 COP 4,623

126.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.93

$1.92 COP 6,235

-4.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.19 SAR 49.53

$7.66 COP 24.9K

72.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.99 COP 3,223

-35.35%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

94.58%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-11.95%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$106 SAR 398

$80.8 COP 263.1K

31.01%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$35.14 SAR 132

$9.95 COP 32.4K

253.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 SAR 289

$24.18 COP 78.7K

218.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 399

$25.08 COP 81.6K

324.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.9 SAR 225

$19.15 COP 62.3K

212.85%

Cinema Ticket

$16.22 SAR 60.9

$3.98 COP 13.0K

307.54%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$465 SAR 1,747

$305 COP 993.4K

52.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

57.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 SAR 219

$58.1 COP 189.2K

0.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.1 SAR 244

$32.20 COP 104.8K

102.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 413

$101 COP 327.9K

9.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 SAR 378

$108 COP 350.8K

-6.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 SAR 4,166

$477 COP 1.6M

132.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 SAR 3,164

$376 COP 1.2M

124.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,026 SAR 7,607

$845 COP 2.7M

139.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 SAR 4,233

$730 COP 2.4M

54.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-9.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,938 SAR 7,279

$1,372 COP 4.5M

41.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,020 SAR 7,587

$617 COP 2.0M

227.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

13.43

-60.46%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Riyadh: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,110 in Riyadh versus $477 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 228% higher in Riyadh, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Riyadh versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $225 vs $193 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Riyadh vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Riyadh is pricier by about 71%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,637 per month in Riyadh and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Riyadh and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,758 in Riyadh and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Riyadh at $1,758. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Riyadh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Riyadh makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.